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Chamber

Meeting of the Parliament 26 June 2025

26 Jun 2025 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Gull Control
McArthur, Liam LD Orkney Islands Watch on SPTV

I ask those who are leaving the public gallery to do so as quickly and quietly as possible as we move to the next item of business, which is a members’ business debate in the name of Douglas Ross on motion S6M-17969, on action to address the impact of gulls in Scotland. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.

I invite Douglas Ross to speak for about seven minutes in opening the debate.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament notes with concern the reported changes to the approach taken for granting licences to control gulls in recent years by NatureScot, which, it understands, has led to fewer licences being approved, as demonstrated by 2,041 licences being granted in 2023, but this figure falling to 505 in 2024; understands that communities and businesses in Moray, Nairn and Inverness have had significant problems with gulls in recent years, but that many communities across Scotland also experience similar problems; believes that Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) funding and Common Good Funds should not have to be spent on continually seeking licences to control gulls that display dangerous and aggressive behaviour that are a risk to all, but particularly the young and older people; is concerned that NatureScot reportedly does not fully acknowledge and respect the views of local people and businesses when considering applications to control gulls that are causing significant problems; notes the calls for more robust action from the Scottish Government and NatureScot to protect humans and businesses from what it sees as the menace of dangerous gulls, including the Scottish Ministers taking action through a section 11 order under the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991, and further notes the calls for a review by the Scottish Government, preceded by a public consultation on the grounds for legal control, with a view to permitting control to tackle significant nuisance caused by gulls, and on the separation of the licensing of control measures and the nature species conservancy functions of NatureScot, in light of reports of an inherent potential conflict between the two and widespread concerns of many constituents that NatureScot neglects the former while preferring the latter.

12:48  
References in this contribution

Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.

In the same item of business

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD
I ask those who are leaving the public gallery to do so as quickly and quietly as possible as we move to the next item of business, which is a members’ busin...
Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con
The people who are leaving the public gallery do not know what they are missing, because I am sure that this will be an excellent debate on gulls. A timefram...
Christine Grahame (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) SNP
I will address the language that is used about gulls in my speech.
Douglas Ross Con
I did not hear that properly. I will give way to Christine Grahame again if she wants to repeat what she said.
Christine Grahame SNP
I do not agree with those terms, and I will address them in a short defence—a cautious defence—of the common gull.
Douglas Ross Con
Christine Grahame is perfectly able to do that, but I strongly disagree. They are a menace. My constituent in Hopeman who was on the radio today used the phr...
The Deputy Presiding Officer LD
Given the interest in this subject, it is likely that we will need to extend the debate, but I am conscious that afternoon business starts at 2 o’clock, so I...
Emma Roddick (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) SNP
I thank Douglas Ross for bringing the debate to the chamber. It is good to have the opportunity to explore what more can be done to deal with local seagull i...
Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Con
Their relentless and noisy squawking and aggressive behaviour have made them a nuisance across Scotland. No, I am not referring to the nationalists—on this f...
Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Lab
I thank Douglas Ross for securing the debate. I pay tribute to the work of Councillors Sandy Keith and John Divers in Moray, who for many years have been wre...
Douglas Ross Con
We need to hear more from the Government on the crucial issue of approval of licences. Does Rhoda Grant agree that, in many cases where NatureScot rejects ap...
The Deputy Presiding Officer LD
Ms Grant, I can give you the time back for the intervention.
Rhoda Grant Lab
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I absolutely agree with Douglas Ross’s point. The same constituent of mine who wrote to NatureScot was told to approach local g...
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Green
I thank Douglas Ross for lodging the motion for debate. I certainly acknowledge that there are areas where we need more effective management and consideratio...
Fergus Ewing (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind) Ind
It has just been stated that the populations of herring gulls and urban black gulls—the two main species—have declined, but there is no evidence for that. In...
Mark Ruskell Green
I ask Mr Ewing to speak to NatureScot and those who are monitoring our bird populations across Scotland. The fact that herring gulls are on the red list of p...
Craig Hoy (South Scotland) (Con) Con
As we prepare to take flight, I congratulate Douglas Ross on bringing forward this important debate. As colleagues across the chamber have referenced, the me...
The Deputy Presiding Officer LD
I advise members that we are very tight for time. I will have to restrict later speakers to three minutes, as well as extending the debate. 13:18
Fergus Ewing (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind) Ind
I thank Douglas Ross for securing the motion for debate and for the joint working that we have done, and the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity for hi...
Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con) Con
I thank my colleague Douglas Ross for bringing the debate to the chamber. I listened to the interaction between Douglas Ross and Christine Grahame about ter...
Christine Grahame SNP
Will the member take an intervention?
Brian Whittle Con
Of course I will give way to Christine Grahame.
Christine Grahame SNP
“Dive-bombing” is a description of an action. Terms such as “menace” apply a characteristic.
Brian Whittle Con
It is a very apt description of what gulls have been doing for years. I acknowledge that a balance must be struck between managing nuisance birds and managi...
The Deputy Presiding Officer LD
Due to the number of members who still wish to speak in the debate, I am minded to accept a motion without notice, under rule 8.14.3, to extend the debate by...
The Deputy Presiding Officer LD
I call Beatrice Wishart, to be followed by Liam Kerr. You have up to three minutes, Ms Wishart. 13:26
Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (LD) LD
Sorry—I missed what you said, Presiding Officer. Did you say three or four minutes?
The Deputy Presiding Officer LD
Three minutes.
Beatrice Wishart LD
Three minutes. Okay. I thank Douglas Ross for bringing the debate to the chamber this afternoon. As the motion states, gulls can be a problem and even dang...
Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con) Con
I am delighted that Douglas Ross lodged this motion. Since being elected in 2016, I, too, have been inundated with concerns from constituents about screechin...